Western society doesn't really like religion that much. They don't even like the word "religion" because, well, it sounds too religious 😂🙃. Religion has become a system of control and brainwashing where fanatics blow up each other's places of worship on a regular basis. Religious people are supposed to be promoting peace yet so many are advocating war.
The word "religion" comes from the Latin and means "to bind." That's not very helpful now, is it? Nobody really wants to be bound, and especially not by a religious group or organization. We here in the West love our freedom. America, in fact, was founded by religious and secular people who were searching for a place where they could be free. Land of the free, home of the brave...
Because Westerners are hyper-individualistic, they often prefer the term "spiritual." That means you're off on your own personal trip having a supposedly wonderful time in your church of one. What's really ironic and possibly amusing, is when the spiritual people all get together and start a spiritual club imitating all the things they hate about religious groups. Humans are so special! 🤪❤️
Anyway I've noticed there are three kinds of religions (or spiritual clubs). I call them the Brain Club, the Heart Club and the Gut Club. The biggest type by far is the Brain Club. This is the organized religions we see in the world today that have a body of doctrines authorized by a priest-class who run the show and tell everybody how it is. If you don't agree with the Brain Club, they throw you out, simple as that.
The smallest type, but often the most powerful, is the Gut Club. These are the religious groups based on fear. Fear of end-times apocalypses, fear of hell, fear of the devil, fear of the other, fear of sin, fear of the infidels and so on. We generally call these sects or cults "fanatics" or "fundamentalists" or "terrorists." They invariably revere the "Book" above all else. The Book is lord and savior. Fear is generally experienced in the stomach, and hence the Gut Club makes its decisions based on gut reaction.
The last group is the Heart Club. This is basically real religion based on relationships with both the divine and our brothers and sisters. The followers of the Heart learn from experience with others. Their allegiance is not to the intellectual or academic understanding of the universe - their allegiance is to the love of God, the universe and the greater family of time and eternity.
This is the club that will eventually conquer the world. The meek shall inherit the Earth. Sorry, brain people, I know you had high hopes...The Gut Club isn't going to win either because fear leading to war and violence can't possibly heal our world. Only the Heart Club can triumph.
Many, (or maybe most) religious/spiritual people are members of all three clubs and jump back and forth randomly depending on the moment. This makes things very confusing for outsiders looking in - one minute you get the heart, next the brain and then, next, you get all kinds of fear coming out of the same mouth of your spiritual friend or relative. We really shouldn't be surprised because CONFUSION is the current state of religion in our world.
The one consolation comes from Lao Tzu who once said,
"When the state is in chaos, ministers appear."
What the world needs is new ministers and new teachers and new religionists who are whole-heartedly loyal to the Heart Club and who are sincerely devoted to the well-being of people. The world needs a transformation, a soul-transfusion and mostly, it needs a change of heart. The world needs to give up on war and violence, and instead, surrender to peace, love and understanding. If you're not already a member of the Heart Club, join up today. ❤️🍰🎖...we've got a dental plan. (okay just kidding we don't really😂)
Comments